The British Warmblood is British inspection-based stud-book of sport horse. Like other warmblood stud-books it is commonly considered to be a breed. It derives from European sport horses including the Hanoverian, the Dutch Warmblood and the Danish Warmblood.
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Country of origin | United Kingdom |
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Colour | usually bay, chestnut or black |
It is bred mainly for dressage, but also performs well in show jumping. Some have been exported to other countries.
The British Warmblood Society was established in 1977 and opened a stud-book for sport horses; as with other warmblood stud-books, registration was based on inspection but not pedigree or performance testing.[1]: 447 [2]: 33 under the management of the British Warmblood Society, establishing a horse registry open to inspection.[1]: 447 The intention was to register horses suitable for competition in dressage, eventing and show-jumping and also for everyday riding.[3]: 88 [2]: 33 [4]: 54
Early registrations included imported European warmbloods including some Hanoverian, Dutch Warmblood and Danish Warmblood stock, as well as Thoroughbred crosses with various British horses.[2]: 33 [5]: 66 [6]: 185 Separate sections of the stud-book were maintained for the Hanoverian and Trakehner.[1]: 447 Since 2008 it has used the name Warmblood Breeders Studbook UK.[7]
The creation of approval criteria for mares dates back to 1982.[8]
The society was registered as a private limited company in 1986,[9] and in 1994 was approved by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs to issue horse passports.[10][5]: 185 Since 2008 it has used the name Warmblood Breeders Studbook UK.[7]
In the early 2000s, more and more British breeders turned to this type of horse,[11] with a record number of registrations in the stud-book in 2007.[7]
The British Warmblood is a sport horse[1]: 447 difficult to characterise,[6]: 66 insofar as its pattern resembles that of other European Warmbloods,[3]: 88 constituting a type, not a true breed.[4]: 54
Height at the withers is variously given as 1.55–1.70 m,[6]: 66 as 1.58–1.78 m,[4]: 54 and as 1.60–1.70 m.[12]
The legs are long, the neck medium-sized, the chest deep and the withers deep.[6]: 66 The coat is solid colour,[1]: 447 generally bay in all shades, chestnut or black.[6]: 66
The stud-book association, Warmblood Breeders Studbook UK, is affiliated to the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH), and organises an annual show every summer.[13] Its aim is to breed the best possible sport horses.[14] Animals are branded, the brand representing a crown surmounted by a cross.[15] Stallions and mares are strictly inspected twice a year.[4]: 54 The association is entirely private, with no funding from the British government.[16]
Anecdotally, a 12-year-old mare belonging to this stud-book was examined for a giant superficial tumor present in her tissues.[17]
Intended for equestrian sports,[1]: 447 these horses are present in show jumping and dressage competitions,[6]: 66 [3]: 88 and are primarily devoted to dressage, thanks to their free, elevated movements.[4]: 54 They can also be used for pleasure riding.[4]: 54
In September 2019, the British Warmblood stud-book ranked 30th in the world in this discipline, its best show jumper being Diamonte Darco, ranked 265th in the world with his rider Lucas Porter.[18]
On 5 October 2017, a British Warmblood horse won the British national hunter riding competition.[19]
This stud-book is unique to the UK,[6]: 66 but has spread widely outside its country of origin, notably through transactions involving horses destined for Olympic-level sporting competitions.[4]: 54 Conversely, warmblood horses from other European countries are also sent to the British Isles.[20]